2024 was Pittsburgh's hottest year
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Pittsburgh had its hottest year on record in 2024.
Why it matters: Human-caused climate change is fueling a spike in extreme weather events globally, most recently seen in the Southern California wildfires, leading to longer-lasting and more intense heat waves, flooding and more.
The big picture: The average high last year was 65.9 degrees Fahrenheit — 4.7 degrees above the norm based on 77 years of record-keeping, according to an Axios analysis of data from Pittsburgh International Airport.
- The city's average temperature was 56.4, 1 degree higher than the previous record set in 1921, according to the National Weather Service's (NWS) Pittsburgh office.
Case in point: In May, 14 twisters tore through southwestern Pennsylvania, surpassing the previous record of 11 during the devastating May 1985 outbreak, the NWS reported.
- Heavy rainfall and flash flooding in April led to rescues and evacuations in the region, AP reported, and flooded the Ohio River to its highest point in nearly 20 years.
State of play: The city has steadily worked to bolster its climate resilience for years, including new stormwater regulations that help prepare for more rainfall.
- Pittsburgh's climate action plan aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030.
- Emissions generated by Pittsburgh's commercial buildings have fallen with help from the Pittsburgh 2030 District initiative.
Yes, but: The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy says the city is not on track to meet overall emissions reduction goals on time.
Zoom out: 17 states — from the Upper Midwest to the Northeast, south into the Mid-Atlantic and Southern U.S. — had their record warmest year in 2024.
- All but two of the rest of the Lower 48 states had a top-five warmest year.
- It was also the planet's hottest year on record.